Don Rebel stories, Page 137

It took a pandemic to end one of the most impressive streaks in WPIAL football history. Every year since 2008, Aliquippa has played for a WPIAL football championship at Heinz Field. The Quips’ 12 straight trips to the North Shore are more than every NFL team outside of the AFC...

For a 10-year span, there were few football programs in the WPIAL consistently better than Beaver. From 2010-18, the Bobcats were a combined 70-27. Although they never made it to a WPIAL championship game, they never won fewer than seven games in that nine-year stretch. Then the dam of success...

In 2009, Chartiers Valley closed out the first decade of the century with one of its most successful football seasons. The Colts lost only once in the regular season and finished with an 8-2 record. The last 10 years have been a struggle on the gridiron for Chartiers Valley, with...

In back-to-back years, the Montour football program became quite familiar with the ups and downs of high school football. The 2017 season was close to the best of times and the follow up in 2018 was the worst of times. Three years ago, the Spartans finished 9-3 and reached the...

Since the expansion to six classifications throughout the state four years ago, even years have been very good for the Seneca Valley football program. In 2016, Seneca Valley finished 8-4 and defeated Mt. Lebanon and North Allegheny in the playoffs to reach the first WPIAL Class 6A championship game. There...

Changing addresses and moving from one football program to another can be taxing and tough. The adjustment period between coaching staff and players can last well into the first season. Preparing for the first season at a new school with the limitations of a pandemic makes a difficult transition so...

For nearly 10 years, the Canon-McMillan football team was a spectator to postseason football. From 2009-17, the Big Macs’ season never carried over to November. However, the team is now riding a new streak coming into the third decade of the century. Canon-McMillan is coming off back-to-back playoff appearances. Sure,...

In the first eight years of this past decade, the Freedom football team struggled mightily, going a combined 18-62. However, the decade finished with a flourish for Freedom. The Bulldogs found their bite by going a combined 19-6. The bar has been raised for the program to the extent that...

What a great first decade of existence for the Central Valley football team. In the first 10 years since the merger of Center and Monaca before the 2010 season, the Warriors are 98-29 with five conference championships, three WPIAL titles and two WPIAL and two PIAA runner-up trophies with only...

For nine weeks in the 2019 football season, Burgettstown was the class of 2A. The Blue Devils ended the regular season with a perfect 9-0 record and a Three Rivers Conference championship after a Week 8 showdown victory over Brentwood. However, the Burgettstown dream season ended with a nightmare on...

They have one of the top players in the WPIAL, but will one dominant performer be enough to help Union turn around and enjoy success in the always competitive Big Seven Conference in Class A? The Scotties finished in fifth place in the eight-team conference a year ago with an...

Since expansion to six classifications four years ago, Keystone Oaks has had four winning seasons playing against elite teams from Beaver County in Class 3A. The Golden Eagles have a combined record of 26-14 since 2016 but have only one playoff trip to show for it. The combination of Gardner...

Most coaches want to run away and hide from preseason expectations. McGuffey’s Ed Dalton is not like most coaches. “We are the best team with a big roster and 17 starters back,” he said. “This is the best overall team I’ve had at McGuffey. We think we are Final Four...

As camps finally begin across the state, every high school football team has questions, from competition for starting spots to trying to stay healthy during a pandemic. However, one district school has another massive question hanging over its heads as practices begin. Will West Mifflin be eligible for the 2020...

For 3½ decades, McKeesport called Class AAAA home in high school football. Four years after expansion to six classifications saw the Tigers competing in Class 5A, McKeesport returns to 4A football this fall. “Moving into 4A is exciting,” McKeesport coach Matt Miller said. “We get to play against a whole...

Oakmont Country Club has hosted nine U.S. Open championships, three PGA championships, two U.S. Women’s Opens, five U.S. Amateur Opens and several WPIAL boys championships, including the 2016 and ‘18 Class AAA individual finals. History will be made Oct. 8 when the storied golf course hosts the WPIAL Class AAA...

The Greensburg Central Catholic boys and girls soccer teams played for WPIAL gold on Nov. 1 and earned a split decision with the GCC girls settling for silver and the boys winning gold. However, when it came to 2019-20 Class A Trib Cup, it was a unanimous decision in favor...

Consistent success throughout the fall and winter sports season and a big season on the pitch by the boys soccer team has Quaker Valley getting their kicks this summer as the Quakers have earned the Class 4A Trib HSSN Sports Cup. Quaker Valley captured gold in both the WPIAL and...

North Catholic has a tradition that players ring the school’s Victory Bell when their teams win a district or state championship. When it comes to the 2019-20 Class 3A Trib Cup, the bell tolls for the Trojans. The chase for the Cup in 3A wasn’t even close thanks to a...

The Thomas Jefferson football team did more than bring WPIAL and PIAA gold back to Jefferson Hills. The Jaguars also led the way to a Trib HSSN Sports Cup championship in Class 5A. The Jaguars football team claimed its fourth WPIAL title in the last five years and captured PIAA...

Though the school did not sweep gold in football along with both boys and girls basketball like it did the previous year, one championship out of three was enough to give Our Lady of the Sacred Heart another Class 2A Trib Cup. The honors continue with the announcement of the...

It is time to begin announcing the 2019-2020 HSSN Trib Cup winners, which means it’s time to honor North Allegheny in Class 6A again. Every year there has been a chase for the cup, schools in the WPIAL’s highest classification have been taking a back seat to NA. Even a...